The energy outside Melbourne's Festival Hall was electric – all smiling faces, spontaneous dances, music spilling from portable speakers, everyone buzzing as we waited for the doors to open.
Inside, the cool air pumped through the venue while smoke drifted through the lights overhead (8 December). As the house lights dimmed, the screen panels lit up with AG Marching!, the title of Atarashii Gakko!'s tour, who were fresh off their Sydney and Meredith dates.
Once the group took their places behind podiums, Suzuka, leader of Atarashii Gakko! (Leaders of the New School), took attendance before welcoming us to the chaos and joy ahead.
They launched straight into 'Go Wild', a song about pushing forward through any challenge. Each member took a turn on lead vocals, the lights shifting to spotlight them one by one before exploding into a whirlwind of strobes during the chorus.
They moved into 'Change', lasers cutting through the haze in red, white, and blue. Without missing a beat, they dove into my personal favourite from the latest album, 'Toryanse'.
A modern spin on a Japanese children's song, it had the whole crowd dancing as each member showcased their vocal strengths. The excitement built verse after verse; at one point it felt like the whole venue was flexing under the energy. I half expected the roof to fall in, just like during Bad Omens' set earlier this year.
From there, they fired into 'Giri Giri', giving us a flamboyant, '90s-inspired J-Pop routine complete with a fantastic rap section from Rin. Then the lights dropped and Suzuka reintroduced the band, sharing how grateful they were to see so many people turning up night after night.
That led into their breakout hit 'Otonablue', the song that sent them viral worldwide in 2022–23, with its catchy beat, iconic dance, and lyrics about trying to appear more mature than one really is.
After a quick breather at the back of the stage, they grabbed their signature broom-handle mic stands and performed 'Arigato', a nostalgic, late-'90s-style track thanking fans for their support. That flowed beautifully into 'Forever Sisters', a celebration of their bond and joy in sharing their music with the world.
The energy lifted again with the comedic 'Candy', a love letter to Mizyu's sweet tooth. The whole crowd joined in on the simple, goofy choreography, laughing with both the band and crew to chants of "sugar high!" and "sugar low!.
Then came the first performance of the night of their hit 'Pineapple Kryptonite', showcasing Mizyu and Kanon's ethereal tones and slow, wispy choreography. Immediately after, each member took a turn in a dance-break showcase: Suzuka bantering and flirting with the crowd, Mizyu helicoptering her hair, Kanon gliding gracefully across the stage, and Rin dropping sharp hip hop moves.
Next was 'Suki Lie', a slow, emotive song about the exhaustion of back-and-forth relationships and the desire to be genuinely cherished. The choreography – each member fawning over another during their verse – brought the song's theme to life perfectly.
Suddenly the venue went dark. A low pulse of bass began, and then Suzuka screamed as the group burst to the front of the stage for the fan-favourite 'Pineapple Kryptonite (Remix)'.
The entire crowd mirrored every move, right down to the infamous Mizyu-cycle that Suzuka called forth. The CO₂ jets blasted as Kanon waved a huge banner, the cheers so loud I'm sure the roof was rattling.
As the set neared its end, we were treated to 'Tokyo Calling', the entire venue stomping and chanting: "We are marching! We are marching!" Then Suzuka taught us the word saikou ('awesome') before the final song, 'One Heart', a self-empowerment anthem about believing in the you that Atarashii Gakko! believes in.
Mid-song, Suzuka suddenly vanished from the stage. A spotlight from a torch behind me reveald her having a full-blown dance party with the crowd, everyone laughing with sore cheeks.
The lights fell, and the crowd immediately began the ritual adult game of "one more song!". The group returned almost instantly with 'NaiNaiNai', filled with Mizyu's signature trills and sharp group choreography.
Afterward, Suzuka spoke again expressing deep gratitude for everything they've experienced in Australia and promising they hope to return soon. A final encore, 'Que Sera, Sera' brought the night to a gentle close.
When the house lights came up, people were buzzing, sharing favourite moments, singing lines, showing off their photos. It was an incredible night, and I'm so glad I experienced it. When Atarashii Gakko! return to Australia, you won't want to miss it. That's a promise.
